UIB Introduces the Responsible Program

The Responsible Program, launched in coordination with the Ministry of Trade and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) to support exporter companies' compliance with the European Green Deal, was introduced at an event hosted by the Uludağ Exporters' Associations (UİB).

During the program held by UİB, representatives from exporting firms were informed about the Responsible Support Program. Prof. Dr. Senih Yazgan, Chairman of the Board of the Uludağ Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association (UYMSİB), emphasized the importance of sustainability efforts, stating, "Sustainability, circular economy, environmentally-friendly technologies, and related topics must surely be part of our working area. These issues are crucial for all of us. We do not see these topics merely as our mandatory homework due to the green deal. We prioritize contributing to the fight against climate change with the slogan 'producing for the world without consuming it,' as well as respecting human and nature in our production."

"Compliance with the Green Deal is a decisive parameter for competition" Prof. Dr. Senih Yazgan highlighted that compliance with the European Green Deal has become the most significant parameter in global competition. He stated, "In this context, raising awareness, conducting a current situation analysis, creating a sustainability roadmap aimed at improving the current situation, providing technical and financial feasibility consulting for the projects included in the sustainability roadmap, granting permission for the use of the 'Responsible®' brand to companies above a certain level of sustainability parameters, and facilitating access to national and international funds and other governmental incentives for exporters are vital for us."

"We have significant achievements in the field of exports" Bülent Tuncer, Deputy General Director of the Ministry of Trade's Directorate General of Exports, shared information about the Responsible Support Program. He noted Turkey's substantial achievements in exports, saying, "The project supporting compliance with the Green Deal is crucial for all of us. We are all feeling the changes in this globalized world. We are going through a critical period. Despite all the transformations between 2003 and 2023, our economy shows how robust we are, growing at an average rate of 5.4% each year. The variety of our products, our production capabilities, our qualified workforce, our young and productive population, and our proximity to markets support our strength in exports. Indeed, 1.6 of the 5.7% growth in the first quarter of 2024 came from exports. Our country's wide and high-quality product range, flexible and rapid production capacity, timely delivery understanding, and proximity to strategic markets provide us with a competitive advantage, allowing us to stand out in global markets. Despite numerous global adversities in 2023, our exports reached 255.4 billion dollars, exceeding our medium-term plan targets."

"Our country maintains its attractiveness for investors" Bülent Tuncer mentioned that during this period when investors are looking for new destinations, Turkey ranks as the fourth European country in terms of foreign investment. He stated, "We believe in the importance of design, branding, and scaling our businesses. We are working to support every step of our exports and how we can diversify this support. In 2024, we aim to provide assistance in every aspect for our exporters. In 2023, we made support payments worth 9.2 billion to approximately 23,000 exporters. We have a budget of 16.2 billion TL for 2024, and we will use it to the fullest. We participated in over 1,800 international trade fairs in 80 different countries. We brought more than 350 buying and trading delegations from 60 different countries. We are working to increase our exports with Turquality promotion projects for 41 different sectors and 184 UR-GE projects."

"The Responsible Certificate will provide prestige for businesses" Reminding that the European Union has set the goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050, Bülent Tuncer continued, "In this context, the EU is trying to establish new rules. One aspect of this issue is the sustainability of our planet, while another concerns our exports. Adapting to this transformation represents an opportunity for us. It is essential for firms feeling the need for transformation to know where to start. Compliance with the Green Deal has become a necessity for our companies. Raising awareness, following necessary roadmaps, and adapting to international funds are stages that companies must navigate. In this sense, our ministry will provide support of up to 10 million TL and consulting assistance at a rate of 50%. Obtaining the Responsible certificate will be a mark of prestige for our businesses."

Following the speeches, an informational video about the Responsible Program was screened, and presentations on the Responsible® Program were delivered by Canberk Eyigün, a Responsible Expert from the Ministry of Trade's Directorate General of Exports, Deniz Koç, a Specialist from the Ministry of Industry and Technology’s Strategic Research and Productivity General Directorate, Kübra Tunç, an Assistant Expert from the Public Oversight Authority, and Gökhan Ezgin, Strategy and Innovation Director at the Turkish Exporters Assembly. The program concluded with a Q&A session.